Page 156 of Bosse
Chapter 49
Bosse glanced at therhino to make sure it could not get up.
One labored breath after another squeezed out from the rhino’s lungs. That monster was done and would be dead soon.
Searching for Alifair, her shape and face were in focus this time. The fog had cleared. She stumbled forward and fell, but not before he saw her blood-soaked clothes. The rhino had slashed her after all.
Her head curved around with red-rimmed eyes frantic until she saw him. “Bosse.” The word came out in a squeak. She sobbed and used her fingers to pull one hand forward until she could lift it off the ground, reaching for him. “Bosse.”
He ignored Krol, cursing how he’d have to dirty his hands and kill the wolf.
Bosse had no way to stop Krol from harming Alifair.
Failing her hurt more than all his injuries.
Titan wheezed out words in his head.Shifters coming. Friends.
Bosse caught the sound of two people running in from the road. He gritted his way through, making his head turn.
Krol stopped sixty feet from him and flipped around, staring at Justin and Adrian. He shouted, “Wilkotauk! Protect me!”
Adrian pointed in Bosse’s direction. “Justin, I’ve got this. Check on him.”
A primitive sound that Bosse had never heard rang out of the woods as the thing Krol had called came forth with glowing yellow eyes—a dark magic beast.
Having backed over to the castle, Krol pointed at Adrian. “Get that one first, wilkotauk!”
The wilkotauk walked calmly, arms crossed and speaking in tongues, or what Bosse thought that might sound like.
Black smoke curled around his words.
Justin dropped down in front of Bosse, pulling a buttoned-up shirt over his head, leaving a black T-shirt on. “Shit, I need to hurry and help Adrian.”
Pulling in a breath, Bosse said, “Leave me. Go to Alifair.”
Adrian taunted the wilkotauk, “You’re gonna use magic on me? I thought you wilkotauks were badass. Evidently, your animal is afraid to come out.”
“Don’t listen to him,” Krol ordered.
“That’s right. Listen to yourmaster,” Adrian countered, clearly trying to avoid the wilkotauk’s magic. “Your master thinks you’re a coward.”
The wilkotauk shouted, “Not my master.”
Justin balled up his shirt and handed it to Bosse. “Keep that shoved over the hole in your chest.”
Bosse wouldn’t take it. He begged in a hoarse voice, “Please, save my mate.”
